


Distractions

by justdreadwolfing



Series: Solas x Nira'sal [4]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-08
Updated: 2015-12-08
Packaged: 2018-05-05 17:41:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5384552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justdreadwolfing/pseuds/justdreadwolfing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As Nira'sal continues her training, Solas suggests a distraction.  Nira decides to take his advice into her own hands.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Distractions

“Solas, we’ve been at this for hours.” Nira said, desperately trying to catch her breath. She used her staff as a prop to keep her standing, her legs shaking, threatening to give out at any moment. Solas watched her carefully, inhaling softly as he scanned the area. It was getting dark and the snow had thickened along the ground, he understood her exhaustion, but she had asked him for his help in controlling her new powers. Rift magic was not easy, it took a lot of time and effort to pull that much energy from the Fade.

They had been at this for some time, perhaps it was time to take a break.

“Alright. Let us return to Skyhold. We will begin again in the morning.” Solas smiled as he held out his hand to her. She took it gratefully as they made their way back up the mountain towards Skyhold.

“I appreciate your help with this. After our time in Redcliffe I…” She trailed off, but Solas offered her a soft smile. 

“I am more than happy to train you in any way necessary. It is best to practice whenever possible, especially after an encounter like the one you experienced. I cannot even imagine.” Nira had hardly been able to explain everything that had happened. He was almost glad for that. A world where Corypheus had succeeded was not a thought that he wanted to venture. 

A world where he failed yet again.

Solas gave her an encouraging squeeze, their hands still intertwined. Their relationship was becoming…strange. They were fully aware of their affections, but neither had acted upon them and Solas wasn’t sure he even wanted to. This situation was…not what he had expected. The fact that he was drawn to her was something he had hoped he could push aside and while he had succeeded for a while, their journey to Skyhold showed him just how weak he truly was. For just a few short hours, he had assumed she had perished…it was that moment he knew, while he would continue to try, his feelings for her were becoming more and more uncontrollable. “I just wanted to make sure that future won’t happen. I can’t live through that again. I need to become stronger.”

“While that is true, it is best not to overwork yourself. You are here and that is all that matters. As long as that fact remains, that future will never come to pass.” Solas said softly, the snow continuing to fall. “Perhaps it would be best to not dwell too severely on what may come. A distraction could be just what you may need for this situation.” 

Nira met his gaze, an impish smile crossing her features. “A distraction, eh?” He felt the tug of her hand as she stopped, their hands separating. Solas turned only to find Nira trotting away, kneeling down only for a moment before standing, taking great care in keeping her back turned.

“Nira’sal…we should not linger.” 

“Just hold on a second.” She laughed. Solas looked up, measuring the distance between them and Skyhold. They weren’t too far away, but they would be expected soon enough. As he looked away, he heard a soft giggle from behind him. A smile creeping across his face, he knew what that laugh meant. Nira was up to no good. The elf turned only to be greeted by a ball of snow right in the center of his face.

Another giggle.

“Nira,” Solas spoke sternly. He had come to expect this sort of thing from the girl, but she never ceased to surprise him. At times he felt more like her babysitter than her friend and this was one of those moments.

Still…

Nira’sal knelt back down in the snow, scooping more of it into her hands as she began to shape it. “Come on, you just said I needed a distraction.” She laughed, barely able to get the words out. “What’s more distracting than this?”

Solas kept his ground, his eyes glancing over her form as she continued the motion. She was certainly different from others he had come into contact with. Perhaps that was the reason he felt so drawn to her. 

“Come on, Solas. It’s fun!” Nira grinned wildly, juggling the one snowball in her hand.

* * *

Come on, Solas. Nira watched him carefully, his stance mirroring his usual pose. Hands behind his back, reserved, even out here in the snow miles away from any of the others. They were alone and away from their duties. Here they could just be themselves _if_ she could pull that part out of him. 

He would play along at times, she had noticed that it only happened when they were away from the others. He would only drop his guard for her. She was more pleased by that than he could imagine, but she wanted more. As their relationship continued…if that was even what she could call it…she could see it falling further and further. She hoped that in time, she would have it down completely.

“Nira, please,” Solas chided, a gentle yet serious smile crossed his features as he turned back towards Skyhold. Nira took this as an opportunity and once more, she threw a snowball in his general direction. The cold snow hit him square in the back, causing him to freeze instantly.

Even with the distance between them, she could feel the tension rise between them. A cold chill ran down her spine, far colder than it had been with the surrounding snow. “Alright, lethallan. If you will refuse to listen, then I suppose I must come to more drastic measures.” He kept his back turned, but she could feel the bits of the Fade he summoned.

In a flash, Solas turned, his face beaming, as he threw the small ball of snow he had conjured in his hands towards her. She had no idea what his reaction would be, but as soon as he turned and she saw what he held in his hands, she knew exactly what to do. Nira ducked out of the way, a loud giggle bouncing around the mountain.

“Ooooooh, nice try Solas, but perhaps you should keep your drastic measures for a more suitable target.” She mocked him, a grin spreading across her face. Solas glared at her playfully, the mockery not sitting too well with him. Nira quickly gathered some snow below her, Solas mirroring her. Fighting with weapons was one thing, but it became obvious fairly quickly how few times he had gotten into this sort of fight. He had to watch her closely, as if he were afraid he were doing something wrong. Nonetheless, the snowball flew back and forth uncontrollably. The wild smile that crept across his face was unlike any smile she had seen. It was primal, a childlike smile that she could assume he had hidden deep down for a long time.

As the snow flew, his aim became increasingly better, which became obvious as Nira felt her clothes become wetter and wetter with each toss towards her.

He was having fun. Finally.

Nira giggled. “Alright, play times over. Time to go into crank things up a notch!” She held her hands out, running towards him as a loud battle-cry emitted from her chest. Solas watched her wide eyed, awaiting the inevitable collision. 

And then it happened.

She crashed into him, sending the two careening straight into the snow.

They stayed there for a minute, unable to move from how cold they had become. Solas laughed first. His voice soft and melodic, a sound far more free than she had ever heard him create. His laugh warmed her heart and suddenly the freezing snow didn’t bother her quite so much anymore. 

Nira nuzzled into his chest, holding onto him as she took full advantage of the way they had landed. She felt his arm wrap around her back as he exhaled happily.

It seemed this was exactly what they needed. A welcome distraction in a time full of stress and turmoil.

**Author's Note:**

> A snowball fight prompt from Tumblr <3


End file.
